PARIS Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is expected to overcome Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to claim the men’s Ballon d’Or at Monday’s ceremony.
The global football community will assemble at the Theatre du Chatelet for the prestigious event, which crowns the sport’s finest individual talents.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo previously dominated the award with thirteen victories between 2008 and 2023.
Manchester City’s Rodri secured last year’s prize following his captaincy of Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.
Rodri’s injury-plagued season has opened the door for 28-year-old Dembele, who leads a strong contingent from Champions League winners PSG.
Nine PSG players feature among the thirty nominees after their stunning 5-0 final victory against Inter Milan.
Dembele’s fellow nominees include Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has since joined Manchester City.
Dembele enjoyed a spectacular season by scoring 35 goals and effectively replacing the departed Kylian Mbappe.
His contributions propelled PSG to a domestic treble and a Club World Cup final appearance.
The French international acknowledged his favourite status while remaining cautious about the final outcome.
Dembele can attend the ceremony due to injury, unlike many teammates whose league match was postponed.
Yamal represents Dembele’s strongest challenger after a breakout season with Barcelona and Spain.
The 18-year-old winger previously won the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player.
Yamal scored 18 goals across 55 appearances as Barcelona secured a domestic double last season.
The Ballon d’Or voting now considers performances across the entire previous season rather than the calendar year.
Other notable male nominees include Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Liverpool’s Premier League-winning duo Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are also nominated after the club’s previous ceremony boycott.
A panel of journalists from the top one hundred FIFA-ranked nations determines the men’s award winner.
The women’s Ballon d’Or appears more open, with Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati aiming for her third consecutive win.
Bonmati earned player of the tournament honours at July’s UEFA Women’s European Championship.
Spain lost the Euro final to England on penalties, while Bonmati’s Barcelona fell to Arsenal in the Champions League final.
Her teammate and two-time winner Alexia Putellas also features among the nominees.
England’s European Championship-winning squad provides several contenders, including Lucy Bronze and captain Leah Williamson.
Chloe Kelly, who scored the decisive penalty in the final, completes the Lionesses’ representation. – AFP